Council to revisit discussion on Grove, Baer Memorial

Lehighton Borough Council will revisit the Grove feasibility study and the Baer Memorial grant project.

Township secretary Brenda Kreitz noted at last week’s meeting that to date, the borough has spent $17,480 on Baer Memorial for engineering and design toward the project.

Councilman Joe Flickinger said he would rather move funds for both those projects into the borough’s infrastructure, such as redoing Sgt. Stanley Hoffman Boulevard.

Borough Manager Nicole Beckett said her concern is that the borough already has two executed Department of Conservation and Natural Resources grant contracts that council approved last year for the Grove Master Site Plan & Recreation Center Feasibility Study, and Baer Memorial Park Improvements.

Flickinger said he was just looking “big ticket” on things that need to be replaced.

Councilwoman Autumn Abelovsky suggested that focus groups be set up.

Councilman Ryan Saunders said he believes the borough needs to move forward with the feasibility study for the Grove.

As far as any grant funding for the repair of roads or streets or Sgt. Stanley Hoffman Boulevard, Beckett mentioned Community Development Block Grant funds.

However, borough engineer Bruce Steigerwalt said he wasn’t sure something like the bypass would qualify to be eligible.

Ultimately, council was looking for a motion to advertise for the Request for Proposals for the Grove/Recreation Center Study.

Based on the dialogue, Beckett will provide council with more details for next month’s meeting and return the request to advertise for RFPs.

In April, council on a 5-2 vote, with Flickinger and former Councilwoman Helen Torok opposed, agreed to forge ahead with a master site development plan and recreation center feasibility study for the Grove.

Beckett previously said the study was to prepare a master site development plan for the Grove, and that it was through a grant.

The borough was previously awarded a grant for $40,000 from DCNR as a Community Conservation Partnership Program to be used to have a study done on how to improve the Grove, and to see if an additional recreation center would be built in the lower field near the existing recreation center. However, the borough is also responsible for coming up with a $40,000 match.

Beckett previously said the master site plan will analyze the facilities, activities, maintenance and operations, as well as lead to the completion of site development drawings for the redevelopment of the Grove.

In March, council on a 5-1 vote, with Flickinger opposed, approved DCNR’s grant contract for rehabilitation and further development of the park.

That action came after council in February, on a 6-1 vote with Flickinger opposed, approved a proposal for park improvements for design, permitting and construction from Barry Isett & Associates Inc.

As part of the improvements, the baseball diamond at Baer Memorial would be removed, while basketball courts and bleachers would be installed nearby, and a multipurpose field and walking trail constructed within the park. There would also be handicap accessibility and parking.

The total cost of the project is $400,000. The borough was awarded a $200,000 grant from DCNR as part of the Community Conservation Partnership Program.

In June 2016, council on a 6-1 vote, with Flickinger opposed, agreed to submit a Greenways, Trails and Recreation Program grant of $244,826 from the Commonwealth Financing Authority to be used for improvements to the park.

In March 2016, council on a 6-1 vote, with Flickinger opposed, agreed to begin the procedure for a feasibility/engineering study to build a new gym at the grove.

Currently the Lehighton Recreation Community Center serves borough youth.

The new gym would either be in addition to the recreation center, or located below the existing building or added on to the existing building.